5 min read
The Audi Nuvolari is a 1,001 PS hybrid supercar limited to 499 cars, and Audi says it is the fastest and most powerful production model in the company's history. First deliveries are planned for the first half of 2027. Audi could easily have called it the new R8. It chose something more ambitious, and far more expensive.
The car appeared in June 2026, on the fringes of the Monaco Grand Prix, the first European race of Audi's Formula 1 team. Its drivers were part of the launch: Spanish site Motor.es watched Gabriel Bortoleto drive it through Monaco with Nico Hülkenberg in the passenger seat. The car then made its North American debut at Monterey Car Week in August.
Audi Nuvolari specs
| Audi Nuvolari | Figures |
|---|---|
| Engine | 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, revving to 10,000 rpm |
| Electric motors | Three |
| System output | 1,001 PS (about 987 hp) |
| 0–62 mph (claimed) | 2.6 seconds |
| 0–124 mph (claimed) | 6.8 seconds |
| Top speed | More than 350 km/h |
| Battery | 7.3 kWh |
| Production | 499 cars worldwide |
Output, top speed and the production run come from Audi's own August 2026 release. The acceleration and battery figures come from Auto Express. None of the performance numbers has been independently tested.
Is it a Lamborghini underneath?
Largely, yes, and Audi is not hiding it. The Nuvolari shares its layout and much of its technology with the Lamborghini Temerario, which is in the same group. Rouven Mohr, the former Lamborghini technical chief, now leads vehicle development at Audi.
The differences are in the details. Audi quotes 1,001 PS against 920 for the Lamborghini, and Auto Express reports a bigger battery as well: 7.3 kWh against the Temerario's 3.8. Audi also uses its own Space Frame with a carbon exterior.
The electric range is modest. Elite Traveler puts it at roughly ten miles, and Auto Express treats that as an estimate because Audi has not given an official figure. This battery is there to add punch, not to replace the fuel tank.
What does it have from Formula 1?
Audi uses the link heavily in its marketing, so it helps to separate the specifics from the slogan. Auto Express describes a retractable rear wing with a DRS mode and a Boost button, with up to 400 kg of downforce. Motor.es reports brake energy recovery of up to 2.8 MW and launch control that uses the battery. Those features are F1 inspired. They do not make this an F1 car, and Audi only says its race programme helped speed up some of the technology.
The name reaches further back. Tazio Nuvolari was the Italian who raced for Auto Union, a forerunner of today's Audi, in the 1930s.
How much does the Audi Nuvolari cost?
The published figures depend on the market and the outlet:
- United States: about $701,000, according to AutoGuide.
- Germany: from about €600,000, according to NewsX, a figure we could not match to an Audi price list.
- United Kingdom: around £500,000, according to Auto Express.
Even the lowest of those is a big step up. AutoGuide notes that the 2023 R8 V10 GT Coupe topped out at around $250,000.
When do deliveries start, and who gets one?
Audi says European presales open in the fourth quarter of 2026, with first deliveries in the first half of 2027. The split between markets is less settled. Hypebeast reports about 200 cars for Europe first and about 200 for the United States from 2028, with the rest going to selected Middle East and Asian markets. AutoGuide expects about 220 for the US.
We found no announcement from Audi of a UAE price or allocation. With "Middle East" mentioned only in press reports, treat regional availability as open.
Why the Nuvolari matters
Audi says this car puts it in the high-performance segment for the first time, and calls it the brand's first halo supercar. That is a telling thing to say about a company that built the R8. The R8 was a supercar people could actually buy in fair numbers. The Nuvolari is a collector's car, in the same year Audi started racing in Formula 1 with its own factory team. Audi wants to be talked about differently, and it is paying for the privilege.
There is also a sound question. The R8 was loved for its naturally aspirated V10, and that engine has no direct replacement here. Reviews of the Nuvolari itself will have to answer it.
Can you drive an Audi supercar in Dubai?
Not the Nuvolari, and the first ones will not even reach customers until 2027. If you want to know what the car is replacing in spirit, we have an Audi R8 V10 in gloss black, with the 5.2-litre V10 right behind your head. It sits with the rest of our supercar fleet in Dubai, and if you want to check dates, message us on WhatsApp.
Sources
- Audi media release, 25 August 2026
- Auto Express, 10 June 2026
- Motor.es, 8 June 2026
- Elite Traveler, 4 June 2026
- AutoGuide, 25 August 2026
- Hypebeast, 26 August 2026
- NewsX, 5 June 2026
Photo: the Audi Nuvolari beside the water, Audi press image as run by The Shop Magazine.
